Category: Living in the Wilderness

Clueless in Big Sur, and other business …

Hunting season will end on Sunday, thankfully. I had to chase six hunters off my property last Saturday. Sadly, they did not speak English, and thus could not read the signs. The locked gate they went around should have been a clue, however. Clueless in Big Sur … ah, the title of a song, book, or other?

Several meetings coming up, so check the announcement page, if interested. New Cal-Trans project starting next week, check the Cal-Trans page for information, and finally, keep your fingers, toes, and eyes crossed that this deadbeat state passes the elusive budget this afternoon. 81 days. A new record.

Mischievous

“Behaving or likely to behave in a naughty or troublesome way, but in fun and not meaning serious harm.”

I came home from a quick run to Cambria to FedEX some thing for work. There were two hunters out, one on an ATV, another on foot. I got mischievous. I started honking my horn. I told the second hunter, “Maybe this will scare away the deer.” When I retire, I am going out every dawn and dusk to honk my horn along the entire area of the ridge. Not hurting anyone, and maybe creating a deer-safe area from hunters. Mischievous, that’s me. 😉

Neighbors

Met my new neighbors, today. She and her husband bought a place down toward the bottom, but at the top of the bottom. She was out hiking with a couple girl friends, one from Norway, and we suggested they hop in the back for a trip up the hill, out of the trees, so they could see where they were. They did.

As we came out of the trees, and into the sun, the three of them let out whoops and hollers that made us laugh. Once we got them to the top of the ridge, we stopped to let them out. I pointed out where I live, where certain land marks were, and took photos of them with Cone Peak in the background. Introducing them to the ‘hood, as it were. I like my new neighbor.

Hunting Season

Well, I picked up my signs, new locks for the gates, and sometimes wonder why I bother? I go through this ritual all the time. Last time, “they” — who ever “they” were, just tore down all the “no trespassing” and “no hunting” signs I put up, sometimes, they shoot ’em up, first! I think I’ve bought 6 new locks, so far this year, at a cost of $20-$25 each. People like to break them off. I don’t know why, they cannot get through, and the dogs and I just chase them off, again. But still, something about a locked gate on “their” national forest just sets them off. I figure this is my “zen” practice — I look to Quan Yin to teach me compassion for people who have no sense, except one of “entitlement.”

And I can always tell when hunters are out and about, as they are today, because I can hear the gunfire, and even if I cannot, my dogs can. Dakota, the alpha female, has a terrible fear of gun shots, and hides at my feet whenever she can.

Oh, I guess deer hunting season is over on the 21st of this month. *Sigh* only 18 days left!!
*************************************************************************************
Two new announcements on the announcement page. One regarding the memorial, and the second regarding a winter preparation workshop sponsored by CPOA.

Labor Day Weekend in the Wilds

Went down the coast, Saturday. Was surprised the signs were still up, the barricade was still in place. My road was still closed. This was around 9:30 am. Down the coast, I noticed Salmon Creek was doing a brisk business. Hmmm…

Got back to the dirt around 4 pm. Barricade gone. Oh, shit. It was nice while it lasted. Two months without tourists, campers, yay-hoos and beer-guzzlin’ rednecks, shootin’ up the wilds. It was peaceful, but for the cause of this wonderful solitude.

I expected the hills to be crawling. I was happily mistaken. I saw two vehicles. One, coming down, and another in the middle of the road, getting out of my way, or pulling in to camp, I could not be sure. I also saw a load of firewood. I tried not to jump to conclusions.

I motioned the gal over, while the guy backed up the truck. “Is that firewood in the back? You are not planning on having a campfire, are you?” She looked so horrified, I was almost sorry I asked. She gave the sign of a hex. “Absolutely not!” She said. “That is for friends in Big Sur, for their winter wood! I would NEVER have a fire up here, right now!”

You know, I completely believed her.

Today, I found my old book from the “Wild” Fire of 1996. I have old photographs, newspaper articles, and surprisingly a BAER report advising residents what they could do to mitigate the damage of the fire with reseeding, mitigating run-off, etc. Did not realize I’d kept that. Will be interesting to see the differences between 1996 and 2008’s recommendations. When I get time (maybe this winter?) I will try to scan some of that into my computer so I can post it. I also found my old book from the El Nino of 1998. I guess I am a historian at heart.

Los Padres Opens south of N-F Rd


This is the USFS public notice:

“Areas of Los Padres National Forest south of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road in Monterey County will open to the public at midnight Friday night, the U.S. Forest Service said today.
With the exception of a few facilities along the Big Sur Coast and the Arroyo Seco Campground and Day Use Area west of Greenfield, all National Forest lands north of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road will remain closed to public entry.

The closure has been in place as a result of the Indians and Basin Complex wild fires which burned much of Los Padres in Monterey County.

Wood and charcoal fires and recreational target shooting are currently prohibited in all areas of Los Padres.

Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle, building or designated Campfire Use Site.

For more information about public access to the national forest, contact the Forest Service office in King City at 385-5434.”

Oh, boy, just in time for the huge labor day crowds. Red flag warnings should be issued. I understand we have three patrols down here this weekend. That should help.

Starting a conversation …

I started a new page entitled “When tourists enter the wilds …” I invite you to read it and join in on the conversation. You can send your ideas privately, if you choose, and I will add it anonymously.

I am hoping we start envisioning and sharing solutions for a problem that continues to worsen. We cannot ban tourists (although some of us would like to), some of them are too dumb to be educated, and I’ve been told I can’t shoot them (well, no one has really TOLD me, but its a good guess), so what options do we have? I posted a couple of solutions being used in the preserves of India, and another for the Conservancies of New Zealand. One solution offered by a reader is the implementation of wilderness schools which serve to educate and elevate would-be enthusiasts. Wish we could require that of all who enter here. I will continue to search for other ideas and solutions, and I invite all of you to do so as well, and add it to that page or email it to me.

On another stream of consciousness, Sue, the garden seed goddess and distributor from SLO is sending her 2008 veggie seed packets to Tassajara, and flower seed packets to the BSVFB for distribution to the houses which were burned. She is also trying to get donations of garden tools from her retailers that she can send, as well. A simple act of kindness and compassion to demonstrate, at least to me, that there are kind human beings in addition to the yayhoos I meet back in the wilds.

Tomorrow, I will post the time of the 7/31 meeting with John Bradford, USFS and a proposed agenda. Suggestions/changes welcome.

For the seed goddess, Sue:

Wilderness Ethics

Z’s comment on my “I am not a cop …” post got me thinking. I have lived up here in the midst of the National Forest — the wilds of Big Sur — for 14 years. (25 in Big Sur) Half of those, alone — if you don’t count my guard dogs. Anyway, the fire news has slowed considerably, so this morning’s post is devoted to one of my pet peeves.

The sense of “entitlement” is very real, and was clearly evident in that group of six from Santa Cruz who explained to me, “We’re from Santa Cruz, and we’ve been coming here for ten years!!” And their point is?? That “entitles” them to go around a USFS barricade? (I did not confront them, again. I might have lost it, and done something stupid. Besides, I have the evidence, in photos, if needed.)

I have had people climb my gates, lift their bikes over and continue on because they feel they are “entitled” to trespass on private land that is posted. One bicyclist, refused to believe that this was private property, accusing me of erecting gates and the other trappings of a homestead on government land!! What planet are these people from? Amazingly, many of these people are from either Monterey Peninsula or Santa Cruz.

One time, it was a group of Hmong hunters from San Jose. My dogs alerted. It was very early, very foggy, and I did not see them until they were about 20 feet from my front door. Being hunters, they all had guns. Another time, a group of hunters set up camp on my private property, just outside my gate. They pointed a gun and threatened to shoot my dog. That time, the MCSO DID come, in full on riot gear, with assault weapons. MCSO said the hunters were extremely polite, and would I agree to let them leave in the morning when it was light? Ha. The hunters were polite to the armed, uniformed MCSO, but extremely rude and obnoxious to me, an aging single unarmed woman and worse, to my dogs, so no, I want them off my property NOW, in the dark.

I have literally hundreds of stories of people thinking they are “entitled” — and not just on forest service land, but on private property. Once, on another piece of property where a friend was caretaking while the owner was gone, this couple from LA just walked on down, was wandering around the back of the house to the deck overlooking the Pacific. “What are you doing?” we asked. “Oh, we just wanted to see the view.” “We wouldn’t dream of going into your backyard without your permission. Why would you think it is okay, here?”

Big Sur has always had a love/hate relationship with her tourists. Tourism is our primary economic resource base. But it seems as if more and more of them come with this ‘tude that makes loving them a real challenge. And *I* don’t work in the tourist industry!

I have a sign in my cottage that says, “The more I get to know some people, the more I like dogs.”
Yup.